Before, After and Somewhere In Between
by phantom4angel
Summary: Ed wakes up to find WInry gone from the house, something happened the night before...through glimpses of the past we find out what! WinxEd
1. Chapter 1

Don't know when it takes place but Ed still has his automail and Al is human, somehow the boys get back and all are in Risembool. I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or its characters, just wanted to write about them. SPECIAL THANKS TO:watevergurL, Miroku'z Girl, S J Smith, Hawkeye0165, Butterfle, harmony, fmachibichick, Kyono Misaki, Midnight Moon, The Earth Alchemist, ElementChild of the Realm FOR REVIEWING FOR ME!

**Before And After, and Somewhere In Between…

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**

"Winry!" Ed called out in an angry sort of panic, yelling down the steps. "Winry!"

His feet thundered down the stairs as she wasn't in her room, spotting Al on the floor petting Den's head.

"Where is she?" Ed questioned hastily, only wearing his boxer shorts as well as a thin piece of fabric falling off of his chest.

"Um, I don't know, brother," Al said truthfully. He hadn't seen her all morning once he had awakened either.

"Quit squawking half-pint!" Pinako yelled from the kitchen.

"Where is she, short, old hag!" Ed yelled louder, his fangs showing.

"What's wrong, brother?" Al asked, standing up as Den greeted Ed, or tried to with his head up and tail wagging.

"N-nothing! Mind your own business!" Ed stuttered, turning around and opening the door hastily to the workshop, but once again his eyes betrayed him. She was certainly gone from the house. His hand hit his forehead hard as his metal arm slammed the workshop door shut. Al stared dumbfounded as his brother thundered back up the stairs, skipping a few steps along the way as he slammed his door shut.

"Granny Pinako?" Al questioned in a scared manner.

Ed appeared again in what seemed like seconds later, slipping his black coat over his shoulders as his boots still seemed half on. He was out the door as fast as wind, the door swinging shut. Where had she gotten to? How hadn't she woken him up? Why hadn't she woken him up?

He ran down the gravel path, trying to think of a place the silly mechanic would be.

"Winry!" he yelled outside, his voice being carried over the grassy hills around him. "Win! Come on!"

_The night before was clear in his head. Ed had fallen hard on his back, a rock splitting the skin open across his shoulder blade when he and Winry were once again arguing. Ed leaned back up, the tank top he was wearing suddenly sticking to his back. Winry gasped in as Ed touched his back, blood present on his fingertips. _

_Winry hurriedly got him back to the house, it empty as Den, Al, and Pinako had seemed to disappear for…groceries perhaps? _

_They didn't say a word to each other as Winry began to clean the wound out in his room, the hot water rubbing off the blood from his stinging, cold skin. The fabric felt strange against the wound as her fingertips grasped his other shoulder to keep his back straight. She brushed the fabric across his back a few more times, her fingers tightening on his metal shoulder as she leaned close to the wound to see if it had stopped bleeding. Ed's heart was beating deeply in his chest as well as his ears, it almost threatening to pound out of his chest. He hoped Winry couldn't her it, she was so close to him now…_

_Winry placed the fabric into the warm, pink water and set it down on the floor, letting go of Ed to get the clean ripped cloth she had found to wrap his wound. She gathered the fabric in her arms as Ed's eyes were focused on the far wall in front of him, her eyes watching him carefully but continuing in finishing her task. She sat down behind him, gently pulling the tan fabric from its folded state, hanging onto its end in one hand as she scooted closer to Ed. She slid her hands under his arms, making him hold his arms up higher and straining the skin along his back. Ed's teeth clenched in his jaw but before the pain could really reach his brain he felt something drift across his chest. Winry's hands danced across his skin, pulling the fabric flat against him and placing it tight against the wound. The dressing helped keep the stinging air from the wound and once Winry was done something slipped her lips that Ed hadn't been expecting._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_For what?" Ed questioned in a lower tone, the quiet from Winry's words taking over his own. Her hand placed her fingers across his wounded shoulder, his body reacting to the touch not with pain but with fear, and excitement. Winry's guilt had reached its limit as the warm blood began to stain the fabric, her head leaning against his braided hair. _

"_Don't worry about it."_

"_Your shirt's ruined," Winry stated, not leaving the scent of his hair as she picked up the sleeveless shirt, the blood on there as well as a large slash through its back. _

"_Win, just don't worry," Ed snapped, his body lifting up and leaving her head leaning forward as he walked over to his dresser to find a new shirt. "You worry too much."_

"_You don't worry about yourself, someone has to," she half snapped, pouting as she stood up and grabbed the bowl of dirty water. Ed slipped the shirt over his head as the sunlight from outside pierced the room around him, but as he turned around she had already left._

"_Whiny auto-mechanic freak," Ed muttered to himself. _

"_I heard that, alchemy nerd."_

_Ed's back straightened quickly as her voice echoed in from the hallway, making his wound ache a little bit more than he would have liked. He winced a little bit, but didn't take back what he said. He spat his tongue out childishly at the air. _

"_Don't make faces," Winry stated even though she wasn't in sight. Ed bit his tongue slightly in surprise. _

"_How the hell—you can't see me!" Ed yelled._

"_There's a window, dork, I can see your reflection," Winry said, walking back into his room and setting more of the tattered fabric on his desk._

"_What's that for?"_

"_Later," Winry answered, turning and leaving again. She was calm, calmer than she usually was when anything happened to him. Either she was fussing over his injuries, or causing them. Now, she had a little bit, but she was distant, she snapped back, but not with her wrench or fist._

"_You better lay down until dinner," Winry replied suddenly as Ed had gone quiet. "Make sure that big head of yours gets enough blood."_

"_I don't have a big head!" Ed growled. Winry stepped back into the room, closer to him, scaring him as her eyes shined in the sunset light. She grabbed his auto-mail arm as he still stood in confusion, dragging him over to his bed and helping him lay flat on his stomach, his cheek resting against his pillow._

"_Win," Ed said in a quieter tone. _

"_Stay put, alright?" Winry ordered lightly. _

"_Something's up," Ed stated but his comments didn't seem to be getting through to her. _

"_Just rest."_

"_I feel fine!" Ed's head rose up off the pillow._

"_Ed."_

_His mouth tightened angrily, a growl in his throat before his head rested back onto the pillow. His eyes stared up as he heard her footsteps walk out and down the stairs. _

_What was wrong with her?_

_

* * *

_

End Part 1--I don't know how many parts it'll be but it got way too long to be one thing lol so it'll probably be around three parts, short little thing but its longer, no worries


	2. Chapter 2

Don't know when it takes place but Ed still has his automail and Al is human, somehow the boys get back and all are in Risembool. I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or its characters, just wanted to write about them.

* * *

**Before and After, And Somewhere In Between**

* * *

Winry had walked far this morning, her legs carrying her where they wanted to and farther than she had realized. Everything had felt unclear in the cool morning, last night had felt like a dream but when her eyes opened this morning her dream had carried into reality. 

She sat on a far off hill near the roadway leading towards Risembool but far enough away from people and carts on the roadside as to let herself think.

"Win!"

A voice carried over the grasses around her, the breeze pulling her hair that was tucked behind her ear forward. Her sight turned up to the top of the hill, knowing the voice but not knowing where he was coming from or what he wanted…

"Winry!"

He sounded fearful. She shook her head as she stood slowly up, looking over the top of the hill and seeing the roadway filled with merchants and one blonde alchemist hastily running passed them.

Ed stopped, panting hard as he doubled over, his hands hanging onto his knees.

"There she is Ed!" One of the locals of Risembool said, pointing towards Winry as she pulled her hair around her shoulder. Ed stood straight up nervously, following the finger before spotting Winry, his gold eyes locking onto hers as she smiled at him. Ed's feet started running towards her before he even realized where he was heading, a look of confusion over his face as he neared her. His metal foot suddenly slipped back, the grass slippery from the morning dew as his upper body began to fall forward. Winry ducked closer to him, her body kneeling under his as it fell. His arms seemed to fall over her shoulders as she caught his body under his ribs. He leaned hard against her as his legs fell back behind him, his nose almost touching hers.

"You klutz," she giggled at him as she held around his ribs, Ed's arms shooting straight behind her head. "You could've hurt yourself."

"Hey! Its not my fault the grass is wet!" Ed complained, setting his hands on her shoulders and pushing back from her, sitting on the grass beside her. He crossed his arms and legs, shutting his eyes angry as Winry settled herself back down as well. Ed pouted a little bit more as Winry's mind wandered out towards the coming afternoon.

"So, why're you out here?" Ed questioned, half angry yet half curious. Winry's eyes fell onto the grass as Ed's eyes wandered towards her.

"I just wanted to walk," she answered.

"Why didn't…you wake me? I would've…gone with you…" Ed said in a sort of hurt tone.

"You were tired," Winry answered. "And you would have just mumbled the whole time."

Ed didn't respond, but his sense was once again annoyed. Winry knew it, and was playing with him on purpose. This whole time they had known each other and he had played with her, now it was her turn.

_Dinner was oddly quiet, or so it felt to Ed. Winry was quiet as Al, Pinako and he spoke between servings. She was barely eating but he didn't comment on it as the other two didn't seem to notice. She left the table once the food was gone, carrying the empty plates to the sink as Ed and Al relaxed, their stomachs full. Pinako smoked lightly, watching Winry carefully as she had noticed the change, but she knew the reason why Winry had become so quiet. _

_Ed felt the stinging on his back and the itching of the wound healing. He tried to scratch is back, but his fingers couldn't reach the wound. Winry glanced over at him before whacking him on the back of the head to stop him. _

"_Stop that, short stuff," Winry snapped as Ed's face plastered on the table. _

"_WHAT!?" Ed screamed. "YOU DAMN AUTO-MAIL FREAK!"_

"_Go upstairs!" Winry ordered in the middle of his rant, pulling his chair out and shaking him off of it._

"_WHY?"_

_Winry pulled her wrench from her pocket. Ed tore up the stairs._

_Ed sat in his desk obediently, looking over old facts, old papers, his old life there when he heard the footsteps on the stairs. _

"_Al? D'you know what's wrong wi—"_

"_No, Ed. It's me," Winry answered, walking into his room without a knock, holding the bowl with hot water and a wash cloth. _

"_I don't need it to be changed Win, I'm not a baby," Ed stated, leaning back in his chair before the legs leaned too far back and Ed thudded on his back painfully as the chair dug into his shoulders. Winry shook her head as she set the bowl down on the ground, Ed trying to push the chair with his legs out from under him. Winry helped remove the chair, setting it upright and settled on the floor next to Ed. _

"_What d'you want?" Ed asked suspiciously. _

"_Take off your shirt."_

_Ed's face flushed. _

"_So I can take off that bandage and see your cut," Winry finished, her face reddening as well._

"_I told you, I don't need it," he snapped. Winry took the bowl of water, before flinging it at Ed's face and shirt, the water drizzling him down to the core. _

"_You're crazy!"_

"_Well , now you need to take off your shirt and bandage. It'll get infected otherwise," Winry said triumphantly. She stood up as Ed's face fumed, the only thing keeping him from kicking her was the fact that she'd kick him back. Walking into the back bathroom she poured more water into the bowl as Ed growled from the floor, standing up and stripping his shirt free. The bandage was pinking as the blood soaked through the water around it. _

_Winry stepped back in with a smirk on her face, setting the bowl of water on the desk as she pointed for Ed to go and sit on the bed again. _

_Once they had settled into the position they were before, Ed facing the wall as Winry sat just behind him on the mattress, Winry took the wet bandage wrap off of Ed's chest. His wound was pink around the edges, but other than that it looked alright. Winry had moved the bowl down on the floor next to her dangling foot, leaning down and dabbing the edge of the wash cloth into the smooth surface. She dabbed the sticky blood around the wound to try and clean it away, the blood having stopped cleaning out the wound by itself. Ed's hand reached back to try and scratch at the wound, the air making it itchy and sting but Winry hit his hand away. _

"_No scratching," Winry growled._

"_Whose gonna stop me?" Ed snapped back. _

"_Me and my wrench."_

"_Can't you just let me do what I want once?" _

"_And what d'you call letting you run off to become a state alchemist?"_

"_You didn't let me do that! You couldn't have stopped me."_

"_I could've with my wrench, be glad I didn't."_

"_You and your damn wrench."_

_Winry began to dress the wound with the new bandage, draping it around Ed's chest, tightening it over the shoulder and tying it. _

"_How long do I have to keep this thing on?" Ed grumbled, his nerves on edge as Winry's warm hands danced across his back._

"_Until the wound's closed off," Winry said in a lower tone._

"_What's wrong with you today?" Ed questioned grouchily. "You didn't eat much at dinner—"_

"_I'm fine, Ed."_

"_Winry, stop being so damn stubborn. It's me, you can talk to me," Ed replied in a sort of understanding tone. _

"_I'm…just not feeling well," Winry answered, placing the wet bandage and the wash cloth into the water. _

"_Is it about this?" Ed questioned, reaching back and pointing at the bandage across his back. "'Cause I'm alright, honest."_

"_No, no, not that," Winry answered._

"_Then what?" Ed asked. _

_Winry was quiet. _

"_Then nothing," She answered as she stood up off the mattress, bending down and picking up the bowl. Ed was watching out of the corner of his eye, but quickly diverted his gaze as she stood straight. _

"_Thanks, Win," Ed said suddenly as her feet began to carry her towards the door. "For cleaning me up."_

"_It's no problem," Winry said lightly._

"_What're you going to do?" Ed questioned, looking towards her back. _

"_To finish the dishes."_

"_D'you want some help?"_

_Winry turned around, her face slightly shocked as Ed's sudden cooperative nature._

"_You…I…that would be helpful," Winry finally let out._

"_Will you tell me what's bothering you down there?" He asked, walking quickly to his dresser and grabbing a new shirt. _

"_I dunno, maybe," Winry stated.

* * *

_

"_It's too quiet in here," Pinako said from the doorway as Winry washed and Ed dried the dishes from dinner. "You two haven't squawked or growled once at each other since you got down here, finally reach a truce half pint?"_

"_WHO YOU CALLING HALF PINT, BUG BOY YOU COULD SQUISH WITH YOUR SHOE, SHORT STACK?!" _

"_Granny, we were just fine until you showed up," Winry laughed, taking the dish from Ed's hand before he threw it at her grandmother. _

"_Alright, alright, just making sure you two hadn't killed each other yet," Pinako stated, heading back out of the kitchen. "Al!"_

"_Yes, Granny Pinako!" _

"_Come help me with the firewood from the back!"_

"_Yes Granny!"_

"_Huh, she's got him trained back to chores," Ed grumbled as Winry handed him the dish he had been drying. Winry laughed through her nose slightly as the door opened and shut, Ed listening to it carefully. He cleared his throat nervously as he put the plate away. _

"_Win?"_

"_Hm?" Winry responded as she handed him the next dish. _

"_You feel like you can tell me what's wrong now?"_

"_Oh, Ed. You really don't know how to be patient," Winry replied lightly. _

"_I've been patient all day! I don't like you depressed like this…" Ed had let it slip out of his mouth before he knew what he had said. Winry's eyes widened as she continued with her chore. "Look, all I'm saying is that…I want to help, and I know I can."_

"_You're the only one who can," Winry half whispered. _

"_What?" Ed questioned her, barely hearing the words but thinking he caught them. Winry handed him the last plate, draining the water and drying her hands off._

"_Win?"_

"_I…I wanted…I've wanted to tell you something…for a long time—"_

_The front door opened and slammed again, bringing Winry's bravery back down into her throat as Ed's face had become somewhat pale. _

"_I need to go and work on something," Winry said quickly, swallowing the words back down and heading out of the kitchen. She quickly tied her hair back and headed into the workshop, shutting the door with a light slam as Ed was left half drying the plate._

"_Brother?" Al asked from the living room._

"_Yeah, Al," Ed sighed, setting the plate in its place.

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_

End Part 2----Here's the next part, the third part is being written and is almost done!


	3. Chapter 3

Don't know when it takes place but Ed still has his automail and Al is human, somehow the boys get back and all are in Risembool. I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or its characters, just wanted to write about them.

* * *

**Before And After, and Somewhere In Between…

* * *

**

_Winry had locked herself in the workshop doing the same mundane things over and over again without realizing it. She had cleaned the same parts four or five times before she stopped herself. _

_She opened the door to a dark house, looking up the stairs. Everyone had gone to bed, or so she thought. She sighed heavily, taking her hair down and walking up the stairs as she wiped her dirty hand across her brow. Her footsteps were heavy on the stairs, walking passed Ed's room where Al had taken refuge on the floor for the night and Ed seemed to be resting in his bed. _

_She continued her trek to the bathroom, washing her face and hands free of dirt before she heard a stirring from down the hall. Her head lifted to the mirror over the sink and Ed appeared, his gold eyes focused on her as she jerked a little. _

"_Ed, weren't you asleep?" Winry questioned._

"_I…sure," Ed answered. _

"_Then what're you doing up?" _

"_I…heard you finally come out of the workshop," he responded as his eyes hit the floor. He was wearing a thin white tank top with striped boxers, Winry noticing as she stood up straight. _

"_Did…are…are you mad at me?" Ed asked sort of like a child. "Because I didn't do anything! I was just trying to help!"_

"_Ed, no," Winry laughed. "I know you were just helping, and I'm not mad at you."_

"_Then…why're you avoiding me?"_

"_I'm not avoiding you," Winry replied. _

"_But…you're avoiding me since…since you were going to tell me something in the kitchen…"_

"_Not avoiding you, just the situation," Winry replied. _

"_What were you going to say?" _

"_Something that I shouldn't."_

"_Why not?!"_

"_Because! I—I just shouldn't! It makes things too complicated…and I don't want life to be anymore mixed up than it is."_

"_Do…do you hate…me Winry?" _

_Winry spun around in shock as the blonde alchemist's head was almost to the floor in guilt or depression. _

"_Ed, you idiot," Winry said urgently, "How could you think that? All I've done is wait for you to come back! All I've done is want to be a part of your life!"_

"_So…you…don't?" Ed asked, his head rising slightly. _

"_You know for a genius you're such a dumb ass," Winry grumbled. "Now get back to bed—"_

"_Then, what were you going to say to me downstairs?" Ed's curiosity and stubbornness had come out again. Winry had become uncomfortable with her only exit cut off and the golden eyes bravely staring at her. "Win."_

"_Can't we just forget about that?"_

"_No, because if you're going to be like this until you get whatever it is off your chest, you should do it now. I hate you when you're sad—I mean I hate it when you're sad."_

_Al stirred from the noise in the hallway, both Winry and Ed holding their breath as not to wake him from his sleep._

"_Go back to bed before you wake up Al," Winry ordered._

"_No! Now is when you get off what's on your mind!" Ed whispered harshly. Winry, fed up with the situation, pushed Ed back out of the bathroom and grabbed his wrist, dragging him behind her into her bedroom. Ed's nerves became edgy as she shut the door. He stared around the dark room, taking in the scent around him as her bed lay askew and auto-mail magazines covered some of the floor. _

"_What're we doing?" Ed questioned nervously. _

_Winry quietly stepped in front of his, his body rigid as she stared into his eyes. _

"_Win—"_

_There was a moment where Ed's heart stopped._

_Winry…what was…_

_Winry's hands were pressed against his collar bone, her breath on his cheeks, her lips against his mouth. _

_Ed's body relaxed against hers, his eyes closing as he was suddenly lost in the kiss. Winry's awareness kicked in, her body pulling back from him as her mind came reeling back to reality. She blushed terribly, her head falling down from Ed as he still stood with his eyes closed. His cheeks red, he opened his own lids, watching Winry as she sulked slightly. Her mouth tried to open, she tried to speak, she felt nervous, she didn't know what to say. What had come over her? _

"_You should go," Winry said, that was all she could think of saying. Ed took a step, Winry thought towards the door, but his metal foot slid into her view of her own. An uneasy hand slipped through Winry's draping hair and fingers drawing against her chin and cheek._

"_Winry…"_

_He tipped her face up from the ground; her bravery seemed to have gone into him._

"_Ed…" Winry half whispered as his face moved closer to her. "Do…do you want…to do this?"_

_His eyes were watching her lips, before he replied,_

"_Yeah."

* * *

_

_Winry settled against Ed's shoulder, her body seemingly tired as her mind was lost, swimming in almost a numb kind of pleasure and calm. Ed was calm as well, staring up at the ceiling as his hand rested against Winry's warm shoulder. His heart was still thumping deep in his chest, but it felt as if the world was lighter, as if a great big weight had been taken off of his shoulders. For the first time in a long time, he felt that this was where he was supposed to be. _

_Winry pressed closer to him, fitting her shoulder into his underarm and wrapping her arm around his ribs, surprising Ed a little bit but the scent of her hair next to his cheek made him relax again. _

"_Winry?" Ed questioned suddenly as her body began to warm up against him._

"_Hm?" She answered sleepily._

"_I—I'm sorry," he said gently. _

_Winry looked up at him, her nose against the side of his chin._

"_Sorry? For what?"_

"_For leaving for so long," Ed stated. "I never, I didn't know what I was doing to you. I didn't mean to hurt you…"_

"_It's not your fault, Ed," Winry half whispered. "I didn't tell you how I felt when I should've."_

"_I don't know if it would've made a difference…Win," Ed replied. "I had to get Al back to normal; that was the only thing on my mind. I would've hurt you more than I already have…"_

"_Ed," Winry said in a graceful tone, sitting up from Ed's shoulder and lying over him. "You've given me all I've ever wanted tonight…and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I don't care what did or didn't happen, I'm just glad I'm here, now, with you. I love you, Ed, I always have."_

"_Winry," Ed began to say, swallowing nervously. Her head shifted to the side, glancing at him with a questioning look. "I—I love you too."_

_She smiled at Ed, his heart relaxing in his chest at the sight of it. His metal hand reached up and combed through Winry's dangling hair. Winry looked at his arm, examining it carefully._

"_I'm gonna have to tighten some of those screws tomorrow," Winry stated calmly._

"_Auto-mail freak," Ed replied with a small laugh. "You love this arm more than you love me."_

"_I have a different kind of screw in mind if you keep your mouth shut," Winry said seductively. "Alchemy nerd."_

"_I'll let that one slide."_

_Ed swiped his hand behind her neck and pulled her lips on top of his.

* * *

_

Winry laid back on the grass, looking upwards at the sky again as Ed looked down at her. Ed pouted a little again, scooting closer to Winry and fell back hard on the grass as well.

"Did…did you want to leave because of last night?" Ed questioned nervously.

"Ed, you're more sensitive then you let on," Winry replied. Ed turned to her and gave her a furtive look.

"I just want to know," he snapped. She laughed happily. "Don't laugh at me!"

"C'mere, Ed," Winry said gently, sliding her arm under Ed's neck and pulling his head against her shoulder.

"What d'you want?" Ed whined but settled his head against her.

"Stay with me?" she asked lightly as she stared up at the sky. Ed's eyebrows frowned as his eyes traveled away from her face.

"I'll try, Win," Ed responded.

"That's all I want," she said in a calm tone.

"Brother!" Al's voice called out from a long ways. "Winry! Breakfast is ready!"

"Granny's really got him trained," Ed stated, leaning up off of Winry's shoulder and standing up, stretching. Winry pushed herself up as well, looking to Ed before shoving him over again.

"Race you!" She yelled as Ed began to try and get up.

"Hey! No FAIR!" Ed yelled disdainfully, tearing after her as fast as he could. He caught up to her as she raced over another grassy hill, darting passed her quickly and spitting his tongue out at her, until she jumped onto his back and clung to him around his neck. Ed almost lost his balance, but instead of throwing her off he took both of her legs under each arm and lifted her onto his back, running forward again as Winry laughed and hung on for her life.

"Granny Pinako!" Ed called out. "We're hungry!"

"Get in here, short stack! Otherwise I'm giving Den your portion!"

"Who you callin' SHORT STACK YOU COULD PUNT KICK ACROSS THE YARD, OLD MAID?!"

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End part 3----Fin

Hope you enjoyed it!


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